Not rude in the least. The tourist asked a question and received a perfectly appropriate answer. Now, had the tourist said, "Excuse me, would you please tell me how to get to the nearest McDonald's?" it would be a different story.

Logged

What have you got? Is it food? Is it for me? I want it whatever it is!

Is there an issue of different languages here? I can imagine someone who does not speak the language can ask in a way that that is short and like barking an order, although shouting didn't really help. I wonder if this person was frazzled and this came out in his tone.

I think both parties were rather rude. I admit, it is funny, but this person was obviously not native to the area and I think the polite thing to do would be just to give directions.

I'm not sure we can say the OP's friend is rude when on this forum we've advocated addressing passive-aggresive comments literally. (Example: Snarky person says "Must be nice to have money to travel so much." Happy Traveler replies, "Yes! Isn't it wonderful?") OP's friend did the same thing: took a rudely stated question and pretended to be clueless about the rude one's intentions when framing a reply.

I think the OP's friend was unhelpful (and can't blame her!) but not rude. But I'm open to a rebuttal!

OP, I would call what your friend did sarcastic and risky. If someone approached me in the way the tourist did your friend, my first thought would be "What's wrong with this person?" and I would not want to do anything to escalate the looming problem. I also would not send him on his way to the business by giving the location. And yes, I might let someone know of this aggressive person who is accosting people on the street..

« Last Edit: January 08, 2014, 11:21:46 AM by Bijou »

Logged

I've never knitted anything I could recognize when it was finished. Actually, I've never finished anything, much to my family's relief.

Was the tourist struggling with the language? Was there significant street noise causing him to shout? Was he hard of hearing which caused him to shout?

Her snarky response took as long to say as a polite "Yes, the closest is 3 blocks down on your right."

It doesn't sound like he was struggling with the language because of the second statement he made to the OP's friend. And it doesn't sound as though he were hard of hearing, but rather was angry for some reason and aggressive. It comes to mind that he might be looking for someone he believes to be there and is angry about it.

Logged

I've never knitted anything I could recognize when it was finished. Actually, I've never finished anything, much to my family's relief.

I think that taking passive-aggressiveness literally is a rather different tool from the one used here. The tourist wasn't being passive-aggressive; he was...well, we don't exactly know what he was doing. He might have been lost and in a hurry and panicking, or he might have been struggling with a language barrier, or he might just have been rude and obnoxious.

In any case, I'm sure that taking the time to think about his tone will benefit him in the future, and perhaps your friend's reply will encourage him to do so. But I'm not quite prepared to cheer her awesomeness when so little is known about what sort of a lesson this actually was.

OP, I would call what your friend did sarcastic and risky. If someone approached me in the way the tourist did your friend, my first thought would be "What's wrong with this person?" and I would not want to do anything to escalate the looming problem. I also would not send him on his way to the business by giving the location. And yes, I might let someone know of this aggressive person who is accosting people on the street..

I think this is quite an over reaction. The guy was rule, agreed, but I doubt there was anything else going on than asking a question, perhaps even in a foreign language and just failing to do it politely.

I think that taking passive-aggressiveness literally is a rather different tool from the one used here. The tourist wasn't being passive-aggressive; he was...well, we don't exactly know what he was doing. He might have been lost and in a hurry and panicking, or he might have been struggling with a language barrier, or he might just have been rude and obnoxious.

In any case, I'm sure that taking the time to think about his tone will benefit him in the future, and perhaps your friend's reply will encourage him to do so. But I'm not quite prepared to cheer her awesomeness when so little is known about what sort of a lesson this actually was.

I agree. I don't think either person came out well from this exchange.

The guy already sound angry/stressed and her "witty" remark isn't going to help. Either be nice about it and perhaps the friendly helpfulness will calm him down, or say "No, I don't" and get away from him.